Luke 17 – Who?

Has the mood changed? Jesus’ language certainly has. His words are darker in this chapter. He speaks of judgment and destruction.

Who will be found worthy on the day of judgement?

But right in the middle is this encounter with 10 men with “Leprosy”.

I use the inverted commas because the word used in Greek can mean many different skins diseases. Some were benign, some contagious, most treatable with modern antibiotics, but a death sentence in Jesus day.

Infection and isolation were what faced those with Leprosy.

They were banished from their communities and forced to live a life of begging and isolation.

Ten of them hear about Jesus and shout from a distance

“Jesus, Master, Have pity on us”

And Jesus heals them, and they go to the priests – who would proclaim them clean and allow them to return to their homes.

But one does not go. Realising he has been healed he returns and give thanks to Jesus.

And he was a Samaritan

Once again the Samaritan’s – the hated ones – the impure – the outsiders – find themselves blessed by God and seemingly closer to him.